Input requested - Rapidly arriving futures: Future readiness for Industry 4.0

Technoscene is busy with research on rapidly arriving futures. In this case, they are looking at Industry 4.0, a future that has arrived faster than most people anticipated. How do we know we are ready for it? Tools are available to anticipate the future, approximate it, estimate it and select a preferred future, but do we know how to make disruptive futures part of our business and lives? Building on Technology Readiness Levels and Manufacturing Readiness Levels, we are developing Future Readiness Levels and a Future Readiness Index. The Future Readiness Levels (FRL) are based on readiness at the technology, behaviour, event and future thinking capability levels. A Future Readiness Index (FRI) could then be determined based on the entire future thinking space (technology, behaviour, events). Once the FRL and FRI are known, it will become clear what strategic interventions are required to thrive in this future. The existing and desired situation in future readiness should be compared and the gaps addressed. This approach provides a tool for internal monitoring and evaluation of the state of the organisation to remain sustainable and competitive in a future that has arrived, to do competitive benchmarking among organisations in a similar cluster, benchmarking at industry level, as well as having a potential for measuring the future readiness of nations.

We will appreciate your input into this thinking by responding to a short web-based questionnaire (it should take about 15 minutes). You can find the electronic questionnaire at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FutureReadinessLevels

Your input is anonymous and your privacy is guaranteed. Please respond by Monday 4 June 2018, to enable us to work the research into a conference paper.

Next Generation Foresight Prize global competition (Closes 1 July 2018)

We have a very exciting announcement. The Joseph Jaworski Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Award has officially launched! nextgenforesight.org

This is a new annual award recognising the next generation’s endeavours in shaping the future. It seeks to recognise young leaders and innovators who are driving foresight practices in their communities.

Applications open this Monday and remain open until 1 July 2018.

The Main Award includes a years’ incubator funding worth USD 25,000 to support a new foresight initiative, mentoring and support for the winner, as well a free ticket to our SOIF2018 retreat. Special Awardees will also benefit from support to develop personally and professionally and all qualifying entrants will have opportunities to showcase their work and be invited to join a new global “Sensing Network”.

We hope you will be able to share news of the award and help us spread the world globally. We would greatly appreciate you circulating this message and the attachment to your networks.

We are especially keen to welcome participation from the global south and to recognise the excellent foresight work across Africa, Asia and Latin America, including supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. However, we want to extend our assurance that this prize is very much open to all, worldwide.

To share this news on Twitter and keep up with latest developments please use #nextgenforesight and #SOIFNGFP

For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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AI Expo Africa 2018

09-11 September 2018
Cape Town, South Africa

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is happening NOW and impacting the world of business and commerce in all market sectors around the World. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Robotic Process Automation, Language and Imaging Processing, Internet of Things and Data Analytics are all being leveraged by business leaders and innovators alike in Africa. Research on the impact of AI reveals that AI could double annual economic growth rates in 2035 by changing the nature of work and creating a new relationship between man and machine.

AI Expo Africa 2018 is focusing on real world applications & trends driving the AI Economy in Africa, exploring the AI Business Opportunity NOW and seeking to build an AI Business focused Community across Africa.

http://aiexpoafrica.com/

World Water Week 2018

26 – 31 August 2018

World Water Week is the annual focal point for the globe’s water issues. It is organized by SIWI. In 2018, World Water Week will address the theme “Water, ecosystems and human development”. In 2017, over 3,300 individuals and around 380 convening organizations from 135 countries participated in the Week.

Experts, practitioners, decision-makers, business innovators and young professionals from a range of sectors and countries come to Stockholm to network, exchange ideas, foster new thinking and develop solutions to the most pressing water-related challenges of today. We believe water is key to our future prosperity, and that together, we can achieve a water wise world.

http://www.worldwaterweek.org/

Africa Innovation Summit 2018 - Call for Applications
06 - 08 June, 2018 - Kigali, Rwanda

Africa Innovation Summit is calling all African innovators to apply for this unique opportunity. The innovation selected must meet the following criteria:

• Know or have an innovative idea or solution that can drive positive change in Africa and;
• The solution must be at a critical stage: either ready to commercialize or ready to scale.

Deadline for submission April 15, 2018 – Apply here http://www.africainnovationsummit.com/innovation-track.

Newsletter 3.0 

1.    New State of the Future 19.1 with infographics

2.    Pakistan State of the Future Index (PK-SOFI)

3.    Annual Planning Committee met in Mexico

4.    World Future Day

5.    Future Work/Tech 2050 national workshops

6.    UN Global Environmental Facility Priorities Two-round Real-Time Delphi

7.    Grappling with the Futures Symposium

8.    Next Annual Planning Committee Meeting in Bolivia

9.    MP CEO to lead the Legacy Council for new World Future Society

10.  Anticipatory Governance for Transition from Artificial Narrow to Artificial General Intelligence

11.  Foresight Europe Network (FEN) and Red Ibero-Americana de Prospectiva (RIBER) 

12.  New executive team for transition of MP leadership

http://www.millennium-project.org/newsletter-3-0/